5 Things to Know (August 22-25)

The news and current events are things that everyone should be catching up on. It helps us be more aware of what is going on in the world around us. So now, KIS Today brings you a new segment called “5 Things to Know” – a small summary of what you should know about what’s going on in the world for the week.

1) Attack on Turkey:

It was supposed to be a night of smiles on the 19th of August last Saturday. However, it erupted into catastrophe as 54 lives were lost to a bombing scheme. This took place in Gaziantep, Turkey, near the Syrian border. To add on to the weight of the high death toll, 22 individuals out of the 54 who have lost their lives were under 14, a Turkish Officer claims. The high death toll is not the only cause of shock for the Turks, but also the claims of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stating that they assume the bomber to be a child in between the age of 12-14. He claims that ISIS is responsible for the attack, as they have made their mark on Gaziantep before. It is not confirmed who the culprit is at the moment, all we can do is wonder when the reign of terror will stop.

2) Burkini Sales Rise with the Ban in France:

A growing topic that sparks great controversy, the Burkini Ban in France is slowly gaining more attention. The Burkini is a kind of swimsuit that covers all of the body excluding the face, the hands, and the feet. It is similar, in a way, to the style of clothing called the burqa that Muslim women wear. The ban took place as it put anxiety in the French people due to recent attacks triggered by Muslims such as the fatal incident in Nice. Fines are said to be placed to those who go against the ban. “I’ve never heard a woman say that it has been forced upon it. In fact, I know of women who want to wear a niqab and their husbands don’t want them to. We have rights, and we’ve always had rights, much more than many western cultures believe us to have.” Aheda Zanetti, the credited creator of the Burkini, claims, referring to the traditional female Muslim clothing as a means of expression, not as a means of restriction. The ban has only empowered women more, as Zanetti states that there was a 90% increase in sales in the last week. The controversy of the ban is unlikely to stop here, and only time will tell whether or not banning the Burkini was the right thing to do.

3) North Korea Missile Test

Ballistic missiles were fired from North Korea’s submarines, and their leader, Kim Jong Un, says that it’s a call for celebration and victory. “He (Kim Jong Un) noted with pride that the results of the test-fire proved in actuality that the DPRK joined the front rank of the military powers fully equipped with nuclear attack capability,” said the Korean Central News Agency the day after. The missile was reported to have flown 500 kilometers before landing in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. There have been no comments from South Korea whether the test was successful or not. There is lots of uncertainty on where this will lead; will North Korea possess the weapons or sell them? Either way, if put into the wrong hands, these missiles could cause catastrophe.

4) Earthquake in Italy

At least 247 people were killed when a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck central Italy at 3:36 AM when most people would be asleep. More than 1,000 people have been displaced due to the incident, and by the looks of the aftermath, the center will not be habitable anytime soon. The town that was in the epicenter of the quake, Amatrice, is feeling the most devastation. “The town is no more,” says Mayor Sergio Pirozzi. The death toll is expected to rise after searches are conducted to look for other possible corpses amidst the rubble. Pope Francis calls everyone to include Italy in their prayers. “At the moment we need to employ all our forces to save human lives, treat the injured and ensure the best conditions for the people displaced.”

5) Peace in Colombia

Colombians rejoice as 52 years of conflict have come to an end when Farc rebels signed a peace treaty with the government. The Farc or the Revolutionary Armed forces of Colombia (FARC for the Spanish initials) are Colombia’s largest rebel group. Founded in 1964, they are the armed group of the Communist party and stand for Marxist-Leninism. Due to the conflict that has been going on between the government and the group, at least 260,000 people have been killed and millions displaced. President Juan Manuel Santos talked about the deal, saying it was “the beginning of the end to the suffering, pain and tragedy of war”. Both sides have reached a mutual agreement of bringing justice to the victims of the conflict, to address social exclusion, and to build lasting peace. “We have reached our goal,” says Humberto de la Calle, the head of the Colombian delegation. The war is over but also there is also a new beginning. “This agreement opens the door to a more inclusive society.” With the end of the war, Colombia looks to start anew and to start off right.